Chapter 4 Labour Organisation and Energetics of Early Archaic Architecture in Korinthos
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Abstract
In this chapter, I examine the organisation of ancient labour and the energetics represented by architectural projects. The first section articulates a tripartite approach to restoring lost ancient manufacturing techniques. First, a close analysis of the ancient specimens is aimed at ‘reverse engineering’ the original production sequence. Second, a search for analogues in the ethnographic record provides a more complete sense of potential techniques and the structure of the workshop. Third, properly designed archaeological experiments not only clarify many uncertainties, but also raise new questions not previously considered by the researcher. Each approach provides complementary insights into the ancient chaîne opératoire and labour organisation.
The second section applies these methods to the terracotta Protokorinthian roof of an early Archaic temple from Korinthos. A general model for ancient tile and brick production drawn from ethnographic sources is enhanced by experimental replications of the tiles. After considering the acquisition of raw materials and the timing of production, I estimate the labour and crew responsible for the roof and consider the full ‘cost’ for the rest of the building. Although an important early foray into monumental architecture, the temple might have been completed in as little as a year and, in the end, represents a relatively modest investment.